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Choosing the right foundation can be a daunting task for any woman. There are so many choices available from liquids, creams, powders, mineral brands and tinted moisturizers. You need to know your skin type before you buy. Dry skin can feel tight throughout the day and may frequently show signs of flaking or irritation, so a foundation with moisturizing ingredients is what you need. Oily, blemish prone skin takes on a shine by lunchtime so you need to blot excess oil and avoid putting on any ingredients that may contain oil that can clog pores and cause breakouts. And whether dry or oily, all women want to look radiant. Here is a look at foundations specially formulated to provide that radiance as well as ones designed for break out prone skin.

PROBLEM: Loss of Radiance

SOLUTION: Foundations with brightening and light reflecting ingredients can really let the radiance from within shine through. For young, healthy skin, a tinted moisturizer may be all the coverage you really need. But don’t rely solely on the SPF in your foundation or tinted moisturizer for all day long protection. The natural oils of your skin will break it down in a few hours, and you’ll be left naked in the sun. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – buy your foundation and concealer at a counter to get a good color match.

INGREDIENTS: Look for natural brightening ingredients such as vitamin C and light reflecting agents like those found in mineral makeup.

BEST BETS: For added radiance, Korres Wild Rose Foundation ($30) includes brightening agents and vitamin C to gently give skin light coverage. Guerlain Parure Aqua Radiant Feel-Good Foundation ($57) contains mineral infused sea water and spring water to add radiance to skin with an SPF 20. Clinique Almost Makeup SPF15 ($22) is slightly more than a tinted moisturizer with a sheer amount of pigment to bring out your skin’s natural glow. VIP Expert By Terry Light Expert Amazing Base Mineral Foundation – SPF 20 ($48) is a wonderfully portable instant radiance booster that plumps lines and intensifies light reflections. Mineral makeup is as light as you can get and works brilliantly for covering flaws on skin that is slack, dull, red or irritated. Check out Jane Iredale Amazing Base Mineral Foundation ($42) for the best selection of shades.

PROBLEM: Breakouts & Oily Skin

SOLUTION: If you have oilier skin, stick with a matte formula to minimize shine. Mineral brands are good to soak up excess oils. Use only oil-free products that won’t cause blemishes or clog pores and avoid anything creamy or the natural oils in your skin will break it down too fast and you won’t get enough coverage for long. Think of foundation as treatment – not just color makeup. The best foundation looks and feels invisible on your skin. Try a tinted moisturizer or mineral based brand that is super light, or use less of a foundation that you already have by adding an oil free lotion. You can also try a matte formula that stays put and use powder to set it. To avoid using too much product, just dot a bit on to cheeks, chin, and nose. For If you use the wrong concealer or camouflage makeup to cover up blemishes, brown spots, scars, dark circles, bruises, and other imperfections, you can actually unwittingly draw more attention to spots. Try full coverage densely pigmented formulas that come in a pot, stick or tube. Liquids and creams are not usually opaque enough. Green toners neutralize redness. Apply powder to absorb residual oils and prevent melting. Oil free foundation can go over concealed spots and pressed translucent powder is less messy than loose. Or use a blush or powder brush and dust lightly over the camouflaged area. Repeat until the area is no longer shiny, and you’re good to go. Keep a powder compact with you to touch up any shine that comes on over the course of the day.

INGREDIENTS: Salicylic acid, willowbark, and anti-inflammatories such as green tea and chamomile are a big help for spot prone skin.